Long-haul trucks have been described as sweatshops on wheels. The typical long-haul trucker works the equivalent of two full-time jobs, often for little more than minimum wage. But it wasn’t always this way. Trucking used to be one of the best working-class jobs in the United States. The Big Rig explains how this massive degradation in the quality of work has occurred, and how companies achieve a compliant and dedicated workforce despite it. Drawing on more than 100 in-depth interviews and years of extensive observation, including six months training and working as a long-haul trucker, Viscelli explains in detail how labor is recruited, trained, and used in the industry. He then shows how inexperienced workers are convinced to lease a truck and to work as independent contractors. He explains how deregulation and collective action by employers transformed trucking’s labor markets--once dominated by the largest and most powerful union in US history--into an important example of the costs of contemporary labor markets for workers and the general public.
“There’s nothing semi about Finn Murphy’s trucking tales of The Long Haul.”—Sloane Crosley, Vanity Fair More than thirty years ago, Finn Murphy dropped out of college to become a long-haul trucker. Since then he’s covered more than a million miles as a mover, packing, loading, hauling people’s belongings all over America. In The Long Haul, Murphy recounts with wit, candor, and charm the America he has seen change over the decades and the poignant, funny, and often haunting stories of the people he encounters on the job.
"A deeply curious and evenhanded report on our national appetites." --The New York Times In the tradition of Fast Food Nation and The Omnivore's Dilemma, an extraordinary investigation into the human lives at the heart of the American grocery store The miracle of the supermarket has never been more apparent. Like the doctors and nurses who care for the sick, suddenly the men and women who stock our shelves and operate our warehouses are understood as 'essential' workers, providing a quality of life we all too easily take for granted. But the sad truth is that the grocery industry has been failing these workers for decades. In this page-turning expose, author Benjamin Lorr pulls back the curtain on the highly secretive grocery industry. Combining deep sourcing, immersive reporting, and sharp, often laugh-out-loud prose, Lorr leads a wild investigation, asking what does it take to run a supermarket? How does our food get on the shelves? And who suffers for our increasing demands for convenience and efficiency? In this journey: We learn the secrets of Trader Joe's success from Trader Joe himself Drive with truckers caught in a job they call "sharecropping on wheels" Break into industrial farms with activists to learn what it takes for a product to earn certification labels like "fair trade" and "free range" Follow entrepreneurs as they fight for shelf space, learning essential tips, tricks, and traps for any new food business Journey with migrants to examine shocking forced labor practices through their eyes The product of five years of research and hundreds of interviews across every level of the business, The Secret Life of Groceries is essential reading for those who want to understand our food system--delivering powerful social commentary on the inherently American quest for more and compassionate insight into the lives that provide it.
Textbook for tractor semitrailer operations: fourth edition includes current information on hours of service, hazardous materials, cargo securement, in-cab technology; trucking industry history; U.S. regulations; procedures; descriptions of systems, components, use/maintenance requirements; troubleshooting; safe driving; economy driving; regulated activities. Includnes end-of-chapter tests, Observation Skills Tests, illustrations, index
Wit, wisdom, adventure, and revelations from sixty years on the road. They say that only truck drivers experience the true grandeur and landscape of America: the winding mountainsides at sunrise, the first frosts of winter descending on apple orchards, the call of the rising roosters. In A Trucker's Tale, Ed Miller gives an inside look at the allure of the work and the colorful characters who haul our goods on the open road. He shares what it was like to grow up in a boisterous trucking family, his experience as an equipment officer in Vietnam, the wide range of vehicles he's mounted, and the daily trials, tribulations, risks, and exploits that define life as a trucker. Ed's vibrant, no-holds-barred tales are hilarious and heartwarming, sometimes cringeworthy or unbelievable—recollections of heroic feels as well as the “fishing stories” that have stretched and shifted from CB radio to CB radio. Many are the results of what he calls, “just plain stupidity.” Others bring to light the small acts of kindness and grand gestures that these Knights of the Highway perform each day, as well as the safety risks and continual danger that these essential workers endure. Together they paint a compelling portrait of one of the most important, but least-known industries, and reveal why Ed, and so many like him, just kept on truckin’.
This book addresses the growing importance of trade secrets in today's society and business and the related increase in litigation, media and scholarly attention, using the new EU Trade Secrets Directive as a prism through which to discuss the complex legal issues involved. Written by a team of international experts, it discusses and analyses national implementation of the Directive and explores the effects of the new regime on contentious issues and crucial sectors such as big data and AI.
The CDL Trucking Industry Secrets Exposed: Here's What the Multi-Millionaire Truck Drivers Don't Want You to Know... and How to Become One of Them. Have your days turned into an endless combo of work-sleep-eat-repeat? Do you feel imprisoned by your boring, menial job that barely covers your expenses and leaves little to no time for fun and family? If these scenarios hit a little too close to home, it might be time for a change. Imagine having a job which gives you the freedom to create your own schedule, brings in a considerable amount of money, and allows you to have as much free time as you want. You may think this sounds just a little too good to be true. But this old adage isn't always correct, and the CDL millionaires are a living, breathing example of it. This lucrative industry has slowly been growing and evolving over the years, and it has become an incubator for successful entrepreneurs. There has never been a better time to become one of them. Recent global events have shown that the transportation sector is something the world simply can't do without. Now, thanks to this shockingly honest report of the CDL industry, cashing in a few million dollars while being your own boss has never been easier. In CDL Minded Entrepreneur, you will discover: How to step out of the mindset of a typical employee who follows his boss's orders, and start to think like an ambition-driven entrepreneur How to shape your CDL business to fit your goals and dreams, especially if you're looking to work less... but earn more money A breakdown of The Happiness Formula (yes, it exists!) - discover how to achieve maximum happiness and fulfillment, in both workplace and at home The 3 most important lifestyle habits for success, including easy techniques to develop and incorporate into your daily routine The GAME plan for your business: a simple concept CDL millionaires use that produces surprisingly powerful results Business logistics from A to Z: find out how to register your company, create financial plans, and market your business How to make your business work for you to provide you with more money than you've ever earned, while having more freedom than you ever thought possible Professional strategies for maximizing the security of your business and making sure you never hit a bump on a road The changes and challenges in the CDL industry, including a guide through tax laws and regulations, as well as vehicles and other equipment Helpful templates for business plans and budget calculations, to help you make a great start towards your financial and personal freedom And much more. The most beautiful, liberating aspect of the CDL industry is its versatility. You can be a truck driver who loathes working long hours and being away from home all the time. You can be a retiree who is looking for a profitable, exciting hobby. It doesn't matter what your motives are - freedom, money, ambition, fun... CDL will fulfill any and all of them.
Knowledge is power. If you are contemplating getting a Class "A" Commercial Driver's License (CDL), read this book first. Trucking companies paint a deceptively scintillating picture of the profession. It is imperative that you learn the secrets the trucking companies don't want you to know. Learn to sidestep being brainwashed into making choices that only benefit the company. Allow this book to guide you through the minefield of trucking choices. You will emerge not just unscathed, but victorious! An aptitude test will determine if you are truck driver material. You will learn how to choose a CDL school and receive valuable tips about training. After learning how to be hired on by the company that can best meet your needs, you will be coached about how to make the most money possible. A list of questions to ask prospective employers will prove to be invaluable. Let this book walk you through each step in your truck driving career from prospective student to becoming a trainer.
You see trucks on the road every day, but have you ever wondered what life was really like for truckers? What the "job" really entails? "How hard is that really?" "It's just driving...right?" This book gives a rare glimpse into the true lifestyle of a professional driver and just what it takes to operate a CMV. While not all-inclusive, you will find a wealth of information showing not only what it is like but also how certain things in the trucking industry are done. Whether it be out of curiosity or an interest in the industry, this book can help quell your thirst for the knowledge known only to those in the industry. So set your brakes, recline your seat, and enjoy the sneak peek into the Secret Society: Life behind the Wheel.
This book is a guide as well as a shining light into the secret world of Independent Courier Contracting. This book outlines in very simple steps how anyone, but particularly minorities in low income areas that would otherwise start illegal hustles, can become successful entrepreneurs in the ever growing transportation industry without having a CDL (Commercial Driver's License) or any professional driving experience. This book isn't written by a researcher but by an actual practitioner who after quitting his job at Berkshire Hathaway went on to start his own small courier business which grew from $500 - $2,000 a week within its first 90 days of operation.
